ODESSA, Texas (AP) - Although it looked like University of Texas Permian Basin Associate Dean of Students Corey Benson might become a journalist, he opted for trying to make students’ quality of life better in higher education.
The Odessa American reports Benson joined UTPB in September 2018 as the chief conduct officer implementing the student code of conduct and investigating and adjudicating cases of alleged student misconduct.
He also oversees student wellness and health promotion programs, including education on alcohol and other drugs, sexual and relationship violence prevention, education on suicide prevention and working with students as an adviser.
Benson also is director of marketing for the Texas Association of College and University Student Personnel Administrators, which is the student affairs organization in Texas, and is chair of the Texas Dean of Students Council that provides a chance for deans of students around the state to share ideas, programs and best practices.
Benson earned a bachelor’s in communication with a focus on print journalism from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He had been editor of his high school paper and was editor of the college paper, as well.
His beat was the Johnson Space Center and the president’s office at University of Houston-Clear Lake.
He also earned a master’s in educational leadership and policy studies from the UT San Antonio and will start his doctoral degree in education from Southern Methodist University in the summer.
Benson has served in similar positions to the one at UTPB before, dealing in everything from student conduct to Title IX investigations.
“The biggest reason that I applied for the position (at UTPB) was that it was a chance to work in student services a little bit more broadly than my previous role. I was a Title IX investigator and a Title IX coordinator focused on the investigation of sexual misconduct cases,” Benson said.
He first discovered he wanted to work in higher education when he was going through orientation as a freshman at Stephen F. Austin State University before transferring to University of Houston-Clear Lake.
“I thought it was so cool to be an orientation leader and I wanted to do that, so orientation was really my introduction to higher education administration. It was an opportunity to help welcome students to campus and help create a positive experience for them, which is something that I get to do now,” Benson said.
“That’s always been a theme through any of the work that I’ve done on campus,” he added.
In his current job, Benson said he gets to pair accountability with care and support.
“. It’s our hope that our student conduct process is educational and developmental in nature and creates space for students to be able to reflect on their actions and how those actions either do or don’t align with their future goals,” he said.
If the actions don’t align with the goals, the idea is to find a way to remedy that.
“It’s really a partnership with the student so that they can help achieve whatever their goals are as students here,” Benson said.
The aim is promoting student success instead of the student separating from the university, he added. However, there will be instances where that doesn’t happen so the goal is to protect the university community.
Coming to UTPB was a chance to be part of a growing institution that looked like it had a lot of potential, he said.
“That’s what I was most excited about and it’s turned out to be true,” Benson said.
“Some of the neat things that we’re going to do, especially talking about growth, we are in the process of implementing BASICS, Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for Students; opening a center for students in recovery; expanding suicide prevention education programs; and expanding our bystander intervention programs. Those are the things I’m most excited about developing,” he added.
The UTPB website says bystander intervention is “recognizing a potentially harmful situation or interaction and choosing to respond in a way that could positively influence the outcome.”
Benson said these initiatives that have been successful in the UT System.
“The expansion of those programs, I think, is going to complement the wellness initiatives that have already taken place on campus,” Benson said.
He said he and his team are working toward training the faculty and staff on mental health first aid. This prepares people to triage those experiencing mental health emergencies and get people who are in crisis, or are experiencing distress, to the right places. Permia Care, formerly Permian Basin Community Centers, is conducting the training.
Teresa Sewell, senior associate vice president, said she’s glad to have Benson on board.
“Corey brings years and a variety of experience with him. His knowledge and skills are raising the bar on the quality and quantity of services we provide to students,” Sewell said.
She noted that his job has existed previously, but had been vacant for several months.
“It will help me by providing assurance that student due process is being provided, improvement in programs for bystander intervention, students in recovery, etc., and improved coordination of programs that encourage student engagement,” Sewell said in a text message.
A native of Shepherd, Benson said he was excited about coming to West Texas because it was a part of the state he hadn’t spent a lot of time in before. It has also opened travel possibilities.
“It’s my goal to visit every state park in Texas by the end of 2019. I’m about 20 parks into 95 of them,” Benson said.
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Information from: Odessa American, http://www.oaoa.com
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